Sean Connery used to be incredibly successful in Hollywood, until he decided to stop acting. His last movie was The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in 2003 and he is now enjoying his well-deserved retirement!

Gene Hackman

Gene Hackman's career spanned five decades and he starred in cult classics such as The French Connection and Young Frankenstein. His last film Welcome to Mooseport (2004) was not the success that its producers had hoped it would be and Hackman decided to retire. Since then, he has written three books.

Rick Moranis

Rick Moranis is best-known for his roles in Ghostbusters and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The reason behind Rick's retirement from Hollywood life is a sad one. His wife Ann died of breast cancer in 1991 and he was left alone to look after their children. As he could not act and be a single dad at the same time, he decided to abandon his career and focus on bringing up his children instead.

Peter Ostrum

Peter Ostrum rose to fame after starring as "Charlie" in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. In spite of this, this was the only role he ever had! After filming finished in 1971 he decided that he did not want to have a career in acting as it was too much hard work. He became a veterinarian instead.

Greta Garbo

Greta Garbo was one of the biggest names in Hollywood in the thirties. When her 1941 film Two-Faced Women was scorned by critics it was the beginning of the end. None of her following films received the critical acclaim that her earlier ones had. She decided to retire from the Hollywood rat race and lived a very private life until her death in 1990...

Mara Wilson

As a little girl Mara desperately wanted to be an actress and begged her parents to take her to castings. And Mara was a success. She had main roles in both Mrs. Doubtfire and Matilda. After starring in Thomas and the Magic Railroad in 2000, she took a 12-year hiatus from acting and declined roles in movies like Donnie Darko and others. She now has a degree from New York University and does some voice work for TV and movies, as well as playing roles on different podcasts...

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were extremely successful child stars. They began their acting careers in the tv series Full House both playing "Michelle". The older they got, the less acting parts they accepted, finally turning their back on Hollywood altogether. They are now both successful fashion designers.

Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill had an extremely successful career as a singer and recording artist as part of the band The Fugees and also had a few minor acting roles. Unable to keep up with the needs of family and friends however, she ended her career in the music as well as in the acting industry.

Jack Gleeson

Many actors love working in front of the camera and life as a member of the Hollywood jet-set. There are others though, who turn their back on Hollywood and decide to pursue a more normal life. Jack Gleeson is one of these actors. The Game of Thrones star ended his career when he left the series. He simply did not want to act anymore. He currently runs his own touring theatre company, whose debut show—"Bears in Space"—had its premiere in 2016.

Jonathan Taylor Thomas

Jonathan Taylor Thomas, better known as "Randy Taylor" from Home Improvement ended his acting career so that he could study at Harvard.

Dylan and Cole Sprouse

The Disney stars Dylan and Cole Sprouse became famous after they starred in the sitcom Hotel Zack & Cody. As the actor twins encountered difficulties negotiating new conract terms with Disney, they ended their acting career and now study at NYU. Cole actually ended his hiatus and now stars on the Netflix hit "Riverdale"...

Bridget Fonda

Bridget Fonda starred in a number of leading roles in the third Godfather movie and in Single White Female. In 2003 the actress, who is Jane Fonda's niece, is married to the composer Danny Elfman and the couple have a son. She retired from acting and is now a housewife and mother.

These actors turned their backs on Hollywood

Sean Connery used to be incredibly successful in Hollywood, until he decided to stop acting. His last movie was The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in 2003 and he is now enjoying his well-deserved retirement!

At some point, some stars just say goodbye to their Hollywood life, and for the most diverse reasons. Some are less and less successful and others just want to get out of the limelight and enjoy a more private life. Have a look at our gallery and check out the stars, who have left their life as a movie star behind...